Seer, Ellis Montgomery
Tech-head and tinkerer Ellis Montgomery used to build spy cameras and remote vehicles out of junk when he was a kid. By the time he was a teenager, he was putting together his own drones and using them to spy on his neighbors. When drone technology became widely available, Ellis started to take them apart and rebuild them to his own specifications. He started out as a garden variety voyeur, but graduated to professional blackmailer rather quickly.

Unfortunately, while Ellis was good with machines, he had no real head for business or criminal enterprise. He was caught and sentenced to ten years. He was out in four for good behavior, but he had hooked up with the Skull Gang on the inside. Out on the street, he used his contacts and connections to get himself an audience with the Skull himself. Ellis impressed Diaz with his technical acumen and his ideas, and in short order found himself on the payroll and with his own lab.

Since getting out of jail, Ellis has implanted a device in his brain that allows him to remotely access and control any of his own drones, although the range is fairly limited and requires him to be on-site to effectively use it.
Trinity DronePL: 9Abilities: STR: 18 (+4) DEX: 18 (+4) CON: - (-) INT: - (-) WIS: 10 (-) CHR: - (-)Skills: Notice 8
Stealth 4 (+16)
Feats: Hide in Plain SightPowers: Blast 8
Flight 4 [100 mph, 880 ft./rnd]
Immunity 30 [Fortitude Saves]
Protection 6
Shrinking 8 [Normal Abilities, Innate, Permanent]
Super-Senses 14 [Analytical: Scent, Darkvision, Extended 2: Hearing, Extended 2: Vision, Infravision, Scent, Tracking 1: Scent, X-Ray Vision]Combat: Attack + 10 [Unarmed DC 19, Blast DC 23], Defense +10, Init +4Saves: Toughness +6, Fortitude Immune, Reflex +4, Will +0Description: The Seer’s primary devices are a trio of homemade drones using a Trinity drone as the skeleton. Seer has miniaturized them further, making them about the size of a hubcap or laptop. They can fly, using turbines equipped with whisper tech that makes them virtually silent, and they possess a full sensor suite that includes chemical receptors (and the ability to follow chemical trails), as well as x-ray projectors to see through solid surfaces. The drones are armored, giving them some defense against attack, and their small size makes them difficult to hit. Further, each one comes equipped with a powerful laser which it can use for brief pulses that are hot enough to burn through a car’s chassis.

Under the Hood
When it came time to do the "Tri-Klops guy" I decided to avoid the obvious odd-eyed muscle bound guy. Tri-Klops in the most recent cartoon was an inventor and spy who used little flying robots to gather intelligence for Skeletor. With the proliferation of drone technology, that basically translated into a tech-head with his own set of tricked out drones. There's not much more to him than what you see here, although having been buzzed by drones and had them fly near me or people I know, I find the voyeuristic possibilities of them somewhat skeevy. I tried to build that into Seer a little bit.

His drones are Minions but not Summonable. Yet with his Datalink he can control them remotely, and the fact that they can take multiple actions helps make up for the fact that he's at least one PL behind everyone else in Los Dorados.

Evening, Taylor Tranh
Hacker and activist Taylor Tranh was a dyed-in-the-wool anarchist and self-proclaimed economic warrior, who used her programming skills to redistribute wealth. But she mostly targeted small banks and the middle-class, and mostly redistributed their wealth into her own dummy accounts. The FBI was beginning to close in on her when the Genesys bomb detonated in downtown Los Dorados. Tranh was near the epicenter at the time, and the energy wave had a monumental effect on her. The physical transformation, initially discomforting, she quickly adjusted to, but she also discovered in short order an ability to “hack reality.” Suddenly, Tranh found she had the cheat codes to the real world.

When the Feds came knocking on her door, she initially panicked and literally turned them inside out. She went on the run, but found that her dummy accounts had been raided. She was forced to steal just to survive, and when a few robberies went bad and people ended up dead, she got the attention of the LD police, the Fox, and the Skull.

The Skull found her first. He offered her asylum and a home in his organization. She is still wanted by the FBI and the police, but the police are not actively searching for her, as the right people have been paid to look the other way. And with the Skull Gang at her back, she’s less worried about the Fox and the feds, too. Still, it may be only a matter of time before she begins to think she can take the Skull’s organization away from him. PL: 12Abilities: STR: 12 (+1) DEX: 18 (+4) CON: 14 (+2) INT: 16 (+3) WIS: 18 (+4) CHR: 16 (+3)
Skills: Bluff 4 (+7)
Computers 12 (+15)
Concentration 8 (+12)
Drive 8 (+12)
Intimidate 4 (+7)
Knowledge: Cyberculture 8 (+11)
Knowledge: Streetwise 4 (+7)
Knowledge: Technology 8 (+11)
Notice 4 (+8)
Sense Motive 4 (+8)
Sleight of Hand 4 (+8)
Stealth 8 (+12)Feats: Accurate Attack
Contacts
Improved Aim
Improved Initiative 1
Luck 1
Power Attack
Sniper
Equipment 7 [Cell Phone, Laptop Computer, Laser Sight, Suppressor, Vehicle: Sports Car; Light Pistol, Sniper Rifle]Powers: “Edit Reality” Magic 12 [Fog of Forgetfulness]

Combat: Attack +10 [Emotion Control DC 18, Mind Control DC 22, Snare DC 18, Blast DC 27, Light Pistol DC 18, Sniper DC 20, Unarmed DC 15], Defense +10, Init +8Saves: Toughness +2/+12, Fortitude +7, Reflex +10, Will +10Description: A petite Vietnamese-American woman, Taylor Tranh became an albino when her powers activated. Her skin and hair are naturally bone white and her eyes are pink. She wears thick sunglasses during the day and dyed her long straight hair a vibrant purple. Tranh mostly wears black, occasionally purple or white. An accomplished hacker, Tranh’s true danger comes from her ability to make minor adjustments to reality. She can edit the memories of people, making them forget whatever she wants them to forget, or turn happiness to sadness or anger or hatred. She can take control of someone’s mind, controlling them utterly like some kind of automaton. Or she can bring inanimate objects to life to do her bidding. By using a virtual “backdoor,” Tranh can appear anywhere in the city just by snapping her fingers. More directly, Tranh can manipulate up to 60 tons of matter from up to 120 feet away, or create swirling patterns of light, colors, numbers, and white noise that can blind and deafen entire crowds. More directly, Tranh can wrap up an opponent in seemingly insubstantial tangles that invariably loop around the nose and mouth to suffocate, cause a target to feel exhausted and collapse as several days of hard labor suddenly overtake them, or unleash a swirling stream of energy that slams into an opponent with the force of a freight train. Tranh uses the street name “Evening,” in part for her all-black wardrobe and in part because her pale, easily burned skin and sensitive eyes have made her a dedicated night-owl.

Under the Hood
Magic doesn't exist in Empire City or Los Dorados. Making "Skeletor" a crime-boss was easy enough, but what to do with "Evil-Lyn"? I think it was Warren Ellis who first described magic as "the cheat codes to reality," so I decided to make Evening a hacker who learned how to hack the universe. This made her one of the most versatile and potentially most powerful characters in the city, but there are scarier folks at lower PLs amongst some of the other gangs.

The Genesys bomb referenced in her origin is tied to some other characters and will get more explanation eventually. For now, it's basically the Silver Storm or the Wild Cards virus: an excuse to have a bunch of powerful superhumans suddenly appear and transform everything.

Teeth, Mitchell Donovan
Mitch Donovan was a bad seed from day one. A troublesome kid, in and out of foster homes, he graduated out of childhood mischief fairly quickly, landing in juvenile detention before he was fifteen. By the time he was eighteen, it looked like either a life going in and out of prison, or joining the military for three hots and a cot. Mitch chose the military.

His talent for mayhem served him well. He found a way to focus his anger and aggression. He learned discipline and he earned a license to kill without repercussions. Actually, his talent for killing earned him a number of medals, as well as the trust and respect of his superior officers. So when an exploding mine left him missing an arm, most of his jaw, and part of his legs, Mitch was recommended for the experimental bionics program. He was rebuilt nearly from the ground up and subjected to an intensive six months of physical therapy, adapting to his new, advanced prosthetics.

But cyberpsychosis took hold of Mitch very strongly. He snapped, killed his handlers, and fled the compound in New Mexico with several million dollars worth of equipment, weapons, and technology. He went to ground in Los Dorados, his old stomping grounds, hiding from both the local law and the military police. He committed some daring robberies, in part to keep his bionics working, and in part to keep himself alive. Mitch drew the attention of the Skull, who saw a great deal of potential in the hulking cyborg with the chip on his shoulder.

“Sub-Dermal Armor” Protection 8 [Impervious]Combat: Attack +10 [Unarmed DC 17/DC 25, Electrical Control DC 23, Paralyze DC 18, Blast DC 23, Snare DC 18, Strike DC 27], Defense +10, Init +5Saves: Toughness +12, Fortitude +8, Reflex +6, Will +6Description: Mitch is a simple man at heart. He loves a good steak, a cold beer, and a pretty girl. But he’s also a violent psychopath, easily frustrated and prone to snapping and killing or destroying whatever is frustrating him at the moment. Medium height and build, but solid, always able to take a beating without flinching even before his bionic conversion. He keeps his dark hair trimmed close in military style, and his eyes are cold and blue-black, almost like a shark’s eyes. Mitch generally wears a black tank-top emblazoned with a big white skull, track pants, and running shoes. His mouth is entirely bionic, filled with powerful crushing teeth that allow him to bite into anything (although he can’t really digest everything he bites) with terrifying force, and provide his street name. His spine and legs are reinforced, allowing him to leap vast distances or run at great speeds. Strategically placed panels of armor, inserted under his skin, protect his organs and other vital parts. Mitch’s right arm and shoulder are both bionic and obviously mechanical. He doesn’t have a right hand, but he was provided instead with an array of interchangeable weapons which snap into place quickly and efficiently at the end of his elbow. His primary weapon is a rapidly firing rotary cannon, but he can swap that out for a huge claw with tremendous crushing or lifting power; a rod which generates a bolt of lightning; a gun that fires poison darts; a grappling hook line that allows Mitch to reach heights quickly; a bola launcher that entangles foes; and a vibro-blade that can cut through nearly anything.

Under the Hood
"Trapjaw" was pretty easy to build, since bionics are already a thing in this setting, and rather advanced. The way by which he switches out his hands, however, is left deliberately vague. Does he carry his attachments on a belt like the old toy, or does he do it internally/via nano-tech? The idea of him walking around with a toolbelt filled with guns and grappling hooks is goofy enough to be the correct answer, I think, but the Empire City/Los Dorados strives to be fairly serious and quote-unquote gritty whenever possible. This is a guy with a bionic mouth, though.

So that's the Skulls. There are more gangs and criminals to cover, but I think I'll switch back to law & order next, so I can delineate the heroes of Los Dorados before I get back to army of villains that call the city home.

Do you happen to have a Fisto or(i can only hope on this one) Rio Blast inspired Hero for my late Birthday gift?.......

I'm afraid not. There's not really a lot of MotU stuff in Los Dorados, other than the templates for the Skulls and a handful of heroes. There's only one hero directly inspired by a MotU character; the rest I already had and they just slotted into the appropriate spots.

The Fox, Diego Rivera
A trickster, the Fox violates the stereotype of the brooding vigilante; he does what he does for the challenge and the fun as much as his belief in justice. Heir to a vast oil fortune from Texas, Diego was gifted with natural athleticism, an outsized personality, and a brilliant, analytic mind. But he had no focus. Wealthy from birth, with largely absent parents and few close friends, Diego basically drifted through life. He took up esoteric interests, like gymnastics, fencing, and trying his hand at stand-up comedy.

When he was 21, his parents died during a mountaineering adventure, and he became one of the wealthiest young men in the world. Bereft and listless, Diego’s interest was suddenly piqued by the strange happenings half a continent away in Empire City. The appearance of masked larger-than-life heroes and mutants fired his imagination. Diego found his calling.

He used his fortune to develop his skills, as well as a host of gadgets and weapons and vehicles. A controlling interest in AZTech Industries gave him access to bleeding edge devices. He relocated to the West Coast and the crime-ridden city of Los Dorados and set up shop as a costumed vigilante. Calling himself “the Fox,” Diego quickly made a name for himself as a wise-cracking defender of the weak and downtrodden, a scourge of criminals and gangs, and an ally to law and order.

Combat: Attack +12 [Unarmed +8, Blast +8, Strike +8, Stun +8], Defense +12, Init +10Saves: Toughness +4/+8, Fortitude +4, Reflex +6, Will +5Description: A handsome, athletically built Mexican-American. Diego keeps his dark hair short. He is energetic, good-humored, and always ready with a quip. He is no grim avenger of the night, but rather a trickster with a zeal for justice, who chose the life of a crime-fighter not out of a desire for revenge, but more as a means to give something to the world – and have a blast doing it. As The Fox, he dons a black and red uniform, with armored plates over vital spots, that still allows him maximum mobility. The full mask/helmet is adorned with red fox ears tipped with black. Fox keeps a variety of crime-fighting equipment in his utility belt and secreted in various pouches and pockets around his uniform. While a devastating hand to hand combatant, he frequently uses a tricked-out rapier to deal with threats. Other weapons include a whip-like device that can ensnare opponents, a tazer gun, and explosives for nonhuman or superpowered opponents. Fox is very careful never to lethally harm anyone if it can be avoided. Micro-circuitry built into the uniform can also create realistic illusions around him, making him practically invisible or allowing him to appear as virtually anyone for short periods of time. The Den (Stately Manor)
The exterior is a hacienda style manor, located in the posh neighborhood of Emerald Hills. The secret bunker hidden below in a sub-basement contains the Fox’s headquarters, where he maintains his arsenal, his vehicles, and his crime lab. Toughness: +10Size: HugeFeatures: Communications, Computer, Concealed 1, Dock, Garage, Gym, Hanger, Infirmary, Laboratory, Library, Living Space, Power System, Security System 2, WorkshopTornado XLF (Motorcycle)
The Fox’s signature vehicle is a sleek, black motorcycle with red markings. While its general lines make it appear as a street bike, it has considerable muscle and power, as well as an arsenal of tricks and special abilities. STR: 20, Toughness: +10, Defense: +0, Size: MediumFeatures: Alarm 2, Alternate Movement [Flight], Computer, Hidden Compartments 1, Jumping Jacks, Navigation System 2, Nitro Injectors, Off Road Movement, Oil Slick, SmokescreenPowers: Speed 5 [250 mph, 2200 ft./rnd]
“Mini-rockets” Blast 8 [Burst Area]

Under the Hood
I've always loved Zorro (and The Three Musketeers). Just a big fan of swashbuckling adventurers in general. I was an adult before I learned what Zorro's name meant in English, though, and it was a total no-brainer to use that name for a vigilante hero in the modern day. I made a few versions of the Fox prior to this one (the original one was part of The Guardians setting), but I knew when I started building a faux Los Angeles that the premier hero of the city would have to be the Fox.

He's got Zorro, Batman, Daredevil, and some Astro City in his DNA. I really wanted Los Dorados' most dedicated vigilante to be a fun-loving, trickster rather than a brooding asshole. Owl already filled that position admirably, and I wanted Fox to be different. His gadgets are definitely very sci-fi, especially his holo-disguise, but that sets him up to infiltrate gangs, misdirect, lie, and deceive before he starts kicking butt.

However, like all the guys that he's descended from, the Fox is just a normal human. Los Dorados' mutant and super-powered population, as well as the sheer number of super-criminals loose in the city, means that he needs allies.

Vixen, Angela Garcia
A chemist and gymnast at UCLD, who was in class the day that Mr. Grin took the chemistry building hostage. Angela’s bravery and quick-thinking saved a number of students that day, and so hindered Mr. Grin’s people that, by the time the Fox showed up, Mr. Grin’s operation was severely compromised. In part inspired by the Fox, Angela decided on an impulse to fashion her own costumed identity. Her first time out as a mask nearly ended in disaster, but the timely arrival of the Fox allowed Angela to regroup and recover, allowing her to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Remembering her from the UCLD caper, and impressed by her actions that evening, Fox offered to take her on as an intern (Angela refused to be called a “sidekick”).

Combat: Attack +12 [Melee DC 18, Strike DC 23, Snare DC 18, Blast DC 23], Defense +12, Init +8Saves: Toughness +2/5/8, Fortitude +6, Reflex +10, Will +6Description: A beautiful Mexican-American woman with an analytical mind and flashing black eyes, Angela has won nearly as many gymnastic competitions as she has science awards. The regimen that the Fox has forced upon her is beginning to tell in the bags under her eyes and the slipping of her studies, but she is determined to persevere. As the Vixen, Angela dons a black and red costume that protects her vitals but still allows her a full range of acrobatic movement. Her bo staff is collapsible, and worn across her back. She keeps a handful of additional weapons on hand, and Fox has provided her with both a grapple gun and a hi-tech motorcycle to help get around town. Tornado XLV (Motorcycle)
The Fox has provided Vixen with her own modified black motorcycle with red markings. While its general lines make it appear as a street bike, it has considerable muscle and power, as well as an arsenal of tricks and special abilities. STR: 20, Toughness: +10, Defense: +0, Size: MediumFeatures: Alarm 2, Alternate Movement [Flight], Computer, Hidden Compartments 1, Jumping Jacks, Navigation System 2, Nitro Injectors, Off Road Movement, Oil Slick, SmokescreenPowers: Speed 5 [250 mph, 2200 ft./rnd]
“Gun Pods” Blast 8 [Autofire]

Under the Hood
I believe I have mentioned before that I like duos. Partners, pairs, colleagues, etc. I like sidekicks. But I find it unconscionable to involve children in a war on crime (much as I love Robins of all kinds), so I figured I would have the Fox's "sidekick" - partner, really - be an adult woman. I still wanted a junior partner, but I decided to give her a mix of other skills and abilities, rather than copying the Fox directly. She is meant to complement, not duplicate, him. She gets to be the scientist, for example, while Fox is a slightly better detective and better informed on crime and criminals.

Flex, Desean Fitzgerald
Always the tall kid, Desean’s dreams of becoming the world’s greatest basketball star were dashed when his mutant gene first expressed itself at age 13. Blessed with the ability to stretch and contort himself to a superhuman degree, he knew he would never be allowed to compete as an equal in sports. With his dream over, Desean threw himself into academics. His other passion was crime novels, and he decided at an early age that he would dedicate his brain and his powers to solving crimes and helping people instead.

It was a natural inclination for a Los Dorados native, given how widespread crime is in the city. His uncle Patrick, a police officer himself, also served as inspiration. But when Desean was in the academy studying to become a cop, his uncle was busted in an internal affairs sting operation, which greatly disillusioned the young man. The practically open corruption he saw around him, even in the academy, also affected him. When he graduated, Desean decided not to join the force. Instead, he hung out his shingle as a private investigator.

Strike 5 [Mighty]Combat: Attack +10 [Snare DC 20, Strike DC 25, Unarmed DC 20], Defense +10, Init +7Saves: Toughness +6/+10, Fortitude +5, Reflex +8, Will +4Description: Extraordinarily tall and long-limbed, but also very thin, Desean looks like the professional basketball player he always wanted to be. A young African-American man gone prematurely bald, he keeps his head shaved and wears a thick black goatee. He dresses casually for the most part, but wears a form-fitting spandex suit when operating on a case. Looser clothes will not stretch with him, but experience has taught him that anything close to his skin somehow acquires the same properties as his rubbery flesh. He is much stronger and durable than he looks, with muscles like coiled springs and a rubbery body that ignores most attacks. He can stretch hundreds of feet in any direction and has a natural slipperiness that makes him an expert grappler despite no formal training. He can alter the shape of his body in minor ways as well, flattening himself down as thin as a piece of paper or the approximate thickness of a length of string in order to slip through doors or other tight spots. He can also stretch out like a parachute when falling, or form his feet into huge paddles to walk across water, or swell his fists up to nearly ten times their size to land crushing blows on opponents.

Under the Hood
I like stretchy guys. My favorite, by far, is Ralph Dibny the Elongated Man. That's why Desean here is a detective. He's not exactly hard-boiled - he can take a beating better than Sam Spade or Spenser ever could - but he's just as dedicated to justice and looking out for people. He never became a cop, but he still has friends and allies on the force, a source of information and potential story hooks. While he and Fox are natural allies, Desean is always going to be a little skeptical of the guy in the mask and the potential for corruption that comes from hiding your identity while beating up people.

If you squint, he can also sub for Mekaneck. Flex predates the idea of slotting LD characters into MotU positions, but he sort of fits one of the archetypes.

Cobra, Alissandra Ortiz
Ali grew up in Los Dorodos, a middle class child of parents who managed to drag themselves out of the slums and make something of themselves. Ali grew up to be a hard worker with a social conscience, just like her parents, but she still surprised them when she announced she was going to the police academy in order to join the LDPD.

Near the top of her class at the end of her second year, Ali’s idealistic eyes were already being opened by what she saw and experienced. If anything, the corruption within the police force and the realization of just how deeply crime had permeated Los Dorados society made her more determined to make a difference.

Then the Genesys Bomb went off. Ali was doing a ride along downtown when the energy wave sparked. She was pretty close to ground zero, and got a full dose of the radiation. Dramatically changed by the process, Ali took time to recover and experiment with her abilities. She has taken a semester off from the academy, and is beginning to wonder if she might be better off becoming an independent operator like Desean Fitzgerald. In the meantime, the explosion of metacrime in Los Dorados following the Genesys Bomb inspired her to take up a mask and a new identity and pitch in. PL: 10Abilities: STR: 14/26 (+2/+8) DEX: 14/26 (+8) CON: 14/26 (+2/+8) INT: 12 (+1) WIS: 14 (+2) CHR: 14 (+2)Skills: Concentration 8 (+10)
Diplomacy 4 (+6)
Investigate 4 (+5)
Knowledge: Police Science 4 (+5)
Knowledge: Streetwise 4 (+5)
Notice 4 (+6)
Sense Motive 4 (+6)Feats: Evasion 1
Move-by Action
Power Attack
Ultimate Effort: Reflex SavePowers: “Cobra Speed” Speed 8 [Speed 8 (2500 mph, 22000 ft./rnd), Wall Run, Water Run, Improved Initiative 4]
Enhanced CON 12
Enhanced DEX 12
Enhanced STR 12

“Cobra Venom” Strike 8 [Alternate Save: Fortitude, Poison]

AP: Blast 8 [Secondary Effect]

Combat: Attack +12 [Unarmed DC 15, Strike DC 23, Blast DC 23], Defense +12, Init +6/+38Saves: Toughness +2/+8, Fortitude +5, Reflex +8, Will +4Description: Slim and pretty, with a dancer’s build and a mane of red hair, Ali looks slight and unassuming, but she packs a mean package. Outwardly she looks unchanged, but beneath the surface she is suffused with energy that has made her stronger, more agile, and more durable than a normal human being. More than that, she can run at supersonic speeds, fast enough to run across water or even up sheer walls. The energy that hums within her also gives her a poisonous touch which can drop a full grown man in seconds. Alternatively, she can channel that energy into a destructive beam of green light. Either effect lingers in a victim, forcing them to deal with it at least once more before it leaves them alone. In her alternate identity of Cobra, Ali wears a black and green hooded uniform with mask, gloves, and thick soled running shoes.

Under the Hood
Cobra is a concept I've worked into a few settings before. She first appeared in a Heroes Unlimited setting I built in college, where she was actually a clone of the original Cobra who had died in battle. She had the same basic set of powers - speed, some strength, a venom blast - and she was pretty easy to translate into M&M.

Like Flex, Cobra was one of the earliest additions to LD and when I started thinking about fitting MotU heroes into the city and realizing I already had plenty of heroes, I suddenly remembered how Teela first appeared as a toy: wearing a cobra headdress. I patted myself on the back for that bit of forethought/inspiration/luck, and called it a day.

Mech, Nathan Hung
Born with a degenerative bone disease, Nathan Hung lived most of his early life in a bottle. With his immune system under constant attack, his parents confined him to a controlled environment, where they could monitor his health and keep him safe. Nat amused himself by immersing himself in video games and virtual realities, and spending far too much time on the internet. Somewhere he picked up the basic tenants of transhumanism and became an instant convert.

Blessed with a towering intellect, almost in recompense for his frail body, Nat devoted the next ten years of his life to building himself a new body. The first attempts were crude, but advanced enough to draw the attention of some very wealthy investors. By the time he was twenty years old, almost to the end of his estimated life span, he was able to transfer his brain and consciousness into a purely mechanical body.

While earning himself a new life, Nat has also managed to become one of the world's foremost experts on robotics, transhumanism, and nanotechnology. The body he built himself is a marvel, able to mimic biologic processes at the baseline, but also able to reconfigure itself into a nearly limitless array of possibilities.

Despite himself, Nat has been forced to become an adventurer of sorts. A lot of unscrupulous people would like to have access to his research, his workshop, and his body. Rogue nations and the agents of same have come after him, time and again. He has been forced to adapt and overcome. But he is afraid that his luck won't hold out, and that the greedy and the cruel will find a way to take his life before he's ready, to do what his own biology tried to do to him.PL: 10Abilities: STR: 18 (+4) DEX: 18 (+4) CON: 18 (+4) INT: 30 (+10) WIS: 14 (+2) CHR: 10 (-)Skills: Computers 4 (+14)
Craft: Chemical 4 (+14)
Craft: Electronic 4 (+14)
Craft: Mechanical 4 (+14)
Disable Device 4 (+10)
Knowledge: Physical Science 4 (+14)
Knowledge: Technology 8 (+18)
Notice 4 (+6)Feats: Eidetic Memory
Inventor
Jack-of-all-TradesPowers: “Cybernetic Body” Shapechange 10 [Duration (Continuous), Action 2 (Full), Check Required (Technology), Distracting]Power Settings

Combat: Attack +12 [Blast DC 23, Strike DC 23, Unarmed DC 19/23], Defense +12, Init +4/+16Saves: Toughness +8, Fortitude +5/+8, Reflex +7/+15, Will +5Description: Tall and spare, with a shaved head and inquisitive brown eyes, Nathan Hung has replaced 95% of his own body cybernetic systems. His brain, eyes, and most of his face remain original, as well as a few organs, but everything else is artificial. Modular components and redundancies allow Nathan to alter the functions of his cybernetic enhancements, depending on situational requirements. Frequently, his enhancements offer increased strength, speed, and agility, but he can also manifest a variety of weapons, holographic disguises, jetpacks, and the like. There is almost no limit to the permutations his bionic components can take, although Nat requires a few moments of preparation for any change, and on occasion the systems can freeze up and leave him stuck in one particular form. His default configuration is the one he has designated as “Life Model Decoy,” largely because he can appear fully human thanks to his holographic disguise program. His completely cybernetic body has a tendency to make people uncomfortable, he has learned.

Under the Hood
I originally built Mech for the New Gate City campaign (also taking place in the same world as Empire City, but when that died stillborn I decided to move him to Los Dorados. In doing so, I upgraded him from PL 8 to PL 10, which didn't do much to him mechanically other than raise some numbers.

LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham has a number of characters with different suits and/or shapes, each one providing a different set of abilities. Cyborg, Lex Luthor, Joker, Batman, and Robin all get this versatility, and Cyborg's was the partial inspiration for Mech and his shapeshifting mechanical body. The other inspiration was Transhumanism. I thought it would be a neat idea to have a cyborg hero who loved being part (or all) machine, rather than lamenting the loss of his organic body.

The other reason I put Mech in Los Dorados is that he makes for a decent approximation of Man-at-Arms, particularly the cartoon versions who are brilliant inventors. He might even sub for Man-E-Faces, too, given his powers.

Eagle, Arturo Rodriguez
Artie Rodriguez served two tours in Afghanistan as a marine. He mustered out with a shattered knee, a Purple Heart, and a commendation for valor. Back in the states, he would have been just another statistic, but on returning to his old neighborhood in Los Dorados, he was taken in by the local martial arts dojo, run by Qing and Theresa Lee. They looked after him, helped him with his physical therapy, and trained in hand to hand combat. It was also Theresa who got him the job interview at AZTech Industries, which launched him into a career as a security advisor.

For three years Artie has worked at AZTech, an amalgamation of Austin Technologies and Zapotec Industries. AZTech is one of the larger tech firms in Los Dorados, and encompasses numerous subcompanies and organizations under its umbrella around the word. AZTech is concerned with new technologies, and has projects involved in topics as varied as bionics research, smartphones, and military contracts.

One of the newest items to come out of the latter lab is the AZTech Flying Harness, a one-man winged personal assault device, designed to give a single soldier the maneuverability and destructive capacity of a drone fighter. While the technology is sound and the anti-gravity suit works spectacularly, the cost proved prohibitive. The Pentagon decided to pass on ordering any, and in order to recoup the costs of research and production, AZTech has decided to cash in on the “superhero” craze. Given the events in Empire City and the rise in powered crime in Los Dorados, AZTech decided to create their own costumed heroic persona, armed with the latest gadgets produced by AZTech labs.

Artie was involved in the project from the get-go and his talent and familiarity with certain martial arts weapons provided guidance in the “Eagle Knight Arsenal” that the flying harness comes equipped with. It was never really a question that Artie would be the one to take up the mantle of the Eagle, and he is eager to prove his worth, as well as his employers’ faith in him, and the faith his friends the Lees have in him.

Combat: Attack +10 [Unarmed DC 19, Crossbow DC 25, Net DC 20, Plasma Blade DC 25, Spear DC 25 (Crit 18-20), Throwing Knives DC 23 (Attack +10), Warclub DC 25 (Crit 18-20)], Defense +10, Init +8Saves: Toughness +4/+10, Fortitude +8, Reflex +8, Will +8Description: Arturo Rodriguez is tall, broad shouldered, and good looking, with short dark hair and eyes like chips of flint. He is compactly muscled, and moves with the grace and surety of an accomplished martial artist. The wound that cost him his military career is largely a memory, although he does tend to limp slightly after prolonged exertion. The AZTech Flying Harness is worn over a dark gray flight suit, and includes strategically placed armor plates, an eagle-shaped helm, and two huge metallic wings. The harness boosts the wearer’s lifting capacity, and even includes a collection of nanites that can be manually injected into the body to repair wounds. When on patrol in the harness, Artie makes use of a collection of hi-tech devices that resemble ancient weapons. The crossbow can fire ballistic or piercing bolts; the spear is collapsible and can be thrown short distances; the net is made of high-tensile fibers and includes a tether that attaches to the pilot’s gauntlets; the throwing blades are designed to look like eagles in flight; the plasma blade is a three foot length of superheated matter contained in a magnetic field, and though it uses an insane amount of power, it can cut through just about anything on Earth; the Warclub resembles an Aztec maquahuitl, and is Artie’s primary weapon.

Under the Hood
Eagle also began life in New Gate City. Other than Snowman, he was the only character I ever ran in that part of the world. He only got used once or twice, but he worked pretty well. He was designed to basically be Hawkman, although I went with an Aztec theme rather than an Egyptian one. There's a little bit of Iron Man in there, too, but not a lot.

The idea is that Eagle isn't a vigilante, but some kind of deputized agent of the law. In practicality, I have no idea how that would work. His parent company would have to come to some kind of understanding with the local police and/or city and he would have to qualify as a police officer and be subject to the same rules and regulations. Right? Complications would arise depending upon the true intentions of his corporate masters, versus his own idealism and the needs of the city and law enforcement. Would have been a great character to play if given half a chance, I bet.

Obviously, Eagle fits into the MotU scheme as Stratos. Once again I was happy to already have a flying guy with a wing motif ready to go. It was almost as if my subconscious had been preparing for Cobra, Eagle, and Mech to become Los Doradans from the moment I built the Skulls.

Champion, Andre Washington
Andre Washington has lived and worked in Los Dorados all his life. He went to UCLD on a scholarship and studied medicine, focusing on forensics, and after grad school he went right into the LCPD as a CSI. He worked diligently but unremarkably for years, a conscientious investigator hampered by the internal politics and corruption of the police department. He did what he could when he could, but he knew not to rock the boat too much. Not that it sat well with him.

Andre got another chance to make a difference through unconventional means. When the Genesys Bomb went off, Andre was near downtown surveying a crime scene. He was one of the few affected by the device, although he did not manifest his mutant abilities immediately. He went home sick and feverish and collapsed into bed. When he woke up, his body had been transformed into a muscular, heroic form that barely resembled him. Shocked and horrified, he watched in the mirror with amazement as he changed back. Over the course of a few sick days, he learned how to transform back and forth and experimented with his new form, figuring out what exactly he could do with it.

Now by day Andre works his forensic investigations and by night he adventures as the Champion, looking into loose ends and trying to pick up the slack left by his corrupt and inept fellow police. Andre feels conflicted about being both a vigilante and an officer of the law, but he believes that the situation in his home town is desperate enough. It’s the Skull Gang that runs the city, not the mayor or council, and that has gone on long enough. But Andre knows he is only one man, and he is on the lookout for allies. PL: 10Abilities: STR: 14/34 (+2/+12) DEX: 12 (+1) CON: 14/34 (+2/+12) INT: 12 (+1) WIS: 14 (+2) CHR: 16 (+3)Skills: Climb 4 (+16)
Diplomacy 4 (+7)
Drive 4 (+5)
Gather Information 4 (+7)
Investigate 8 (+9)
Knowledge: Life Sciences 8 (+9)
Knowledge: Pop Culture 8 (+9)
Medicine 8 (+10)
Notice 4 (+6)
Search 4 (+5)
Sense Motive 4 (+6)
Survival 4 (+6)
Swim 4 (+16)Feats: All-Out Attack
Eidetic Memory
Improved Grab
Luck 1
Move-by Action
Power Attack
Stunning Attack
TauntPowers: Enhanced CON 20
Enhanced STR 20
Enhanced Trait 3 [Diehard, Quick Change, Rapid Healing]
Immunity 9 [Critical Hits, Environmental Conditions (All), Poison]
Impervious Toughness 8
Leaping 4 [Running Jump: 550 ft., Standing Jump: 275 ft., High Jump: 137 ft.]
Super-Strength 6 [Heavy Load: 89.6 tons; Bracing, Countering Punch, Groundstrike, Shockwave, Super-Breath, Thunderclap]Combat: Attack +8 [Unarmed DC 27, Grapple +26], Defense +8, Init +1Saves: Toughness +12, Fortitude +12, Reflex +4, Will +8Drawbacks & Complications: Normal Identity [Major, Uncommon]Description: Andre Washington is an unassuming African American man in his late twenties. He has hazel eyes, although an astigmatism means that he wears glasses all the time, and wears his hair in a retro-80s squarish cut. His fashion follows the same sensibility. While he listens to a lot of classic rap and hip-hop, he dresses more New Wave in slick suits with narrow ties. He has an acerbic sense of humor and an encyclopedic knowledge of pop culture.

Andre’s powers are actually psychokinetic in nature, albeit entirely unconscious. When given a moment to concentrate, during which he must be able to place his fist against his forehead and close his eyes (a psychosomatic limitation on access to his abilities), Andre can transform himself into the Champion. He grows about a foot in height and gains about a hundred pounds of muscle. His skin takes on a bronzish, metallic cast and his hair takes on a golden sheen. Even his clothes are transformed; whatever he is wearing at the time becomes a form-fighting black suit with gold and bronze accents, with a golden lightning bolt icon across the chest. As the Champion, Andre is nigh-invulnerable, shrugging off all but the most grievous of damage without any marks and makes no notice of environmental extremes. He is immensely strong, capable of lifting nearly ninety tons with effort, and has practiced with his strength to develop a variety of tricks and tactics. He can leap prodigious distances on his powerful legs.

Under the Hood
I wasn't initially going to make a "He-Man" for Los Dorados. As I conceived the Skull, he was very much the Kingpin to Fox's Daredevil, the Prometheus to his Batman. I also wanted to keep Los Dorados "street level," even if it was Marvel street level, and a half-naked 100 ton lifting superhero seemed to defy that notion.

But I started to feel like there was something missing, that in order to have full thematic resonance, the Skulls needed representatives of all their opposite numbers on Eternia. So I went ahead and made Champion, one of those names I keep using and re-using (I figure they're just the Champions of Earth A and Earth Q and Earth 221B and what have you, rather than claiming I lack imagination). He's a basic brick, somewhere on the scale with Thing, She-Hulk, and Hercules. I deliberately avoided giving him his PL in Super-Strength ranks. I wanted him to be stronger than most everyone in the setting, but not outrageously so.

I did keep the Prince Adam complication, though, since that was itself a nod to Captain Marvel, and a solid superhero concept. The lightning bolt on his chest is straight-up a callback to CM.